We offer the Wintergarden™ collection of camellias. There is a camellia suitable for every garden. Antique and heirloom cultivars, and the best of the newest hybrids including groundcovers, dwarf shrubs, small trees, and several cultivars with fragrant flowers.

Sizes from 3-gallon to 8 feet plus.

For full sized, downloadable images of the plants listed, please see our "PHOTO GALLERY" page.

Okay, so what the heck is a "peony camellia" and how does it differ from an "anemone camelia." Many years ago, in an attempt to describe the numerous flower forms within the genus camellia, some genius decided to use other flowers to describe them. This works well only if one knows what a peony or anemone looks like. Oh well, the system stuck and we are stuck with the system.

Camellia sasanqua (hiemalis) ‘Aglaia’™~ Strong, spreading habit as wide as tall. Perhaps best used in masses. Coppery new growth in Spring and Summer is interesting. The rather large flowers are fully double (rose-form) and a rich pink darkening to a nearly crimson center. Blooms over an extended period. Green Nurseries introduction.

Camellia sasanqua ‘Autumn Sentinel’™~ As the name implies, a narrow, columnar grower to 10’. Small soft pink flowers bloom in clusters along the slender stems. A Green Nurseries introduction.

Camellia x vernalis 'Dabney's Star'™ ~ Seedling of the celebrated 'Star Above Star', with large semi-double to loose peony flowers. The white blending to pink border, coupled with the long bloom season, make this cold-hardy shrub a Fall-Winter delight. Bushy, upright habit to 6'-9'. Named for our good friend, Dabney Turley of Dabney's Nursery, Memphis, TN. A Green Nurseries introduction.

Camellia sasanqua 'Daydream'~Vigorous grower with dense, heavy, foliage. Makes a very good plant for screening. Near white flowers have a soft pink edging and are very fragrant. Early season.

Camellia sasanqua'Daydream Believer'™~For all practical purposes this is a pure white form of 'Daydream'. Upright, very fast growth makes a quick screen. Simple, single, white, fragrant flowers early in the season. A Green Nurseries introduction.

Camellia sasanqua hybrid'Dream Angel'™~ Hybrid of Camellia 'Yume', itself a hybrid of a Camellia sasanqua. Semi-dwarf habit, rounded growth to 4' x 4'. The flowers are unique, a soft porcelain pink with white feathered edges. Has a long bloom season, from October through Christmas.A Green Nurseries introduction.

Camellia sasanqua hybrid'Dream Quilt'™~Another 'Yume' hybrid, this one with a low, wide-spreading habit, suitable for uses in masses. Brilliant pink and white flowers have a "pinwheel" form and bloom off and on throughout the Fall and Winter. A Green Nurseries introduction.

Camellia sasanqua hybrid 'Dream Team'™~A seedling of 'Yume' with the same long bloom season-October into late February in our climate. Slower growing when young, but rewards patience with a dense, upright bush covered in unique white and pink flowers. A Green Nurseries introduction.

Camellia x vernalis 'Egao Curly' ~The flowers are attractive enough but the growth is fascinating! The limbs naturally twist and turn and we have seen some form a complete circle. One of the easiest camellias to grow and lends itself to a container or a conversation piece espalier.

Camellia x vernalis 'Egao Shibori' ~ Egao translates to "Smiling Face" and this variegated selection certainly is a happy plant. The leaves are green, heavily splashed with yellow and the harmless virus that causes the leaf variegation imparts a mixture of white and pink to the flowers-no two of which are alike. Blooms over a very long season. Vigorous grower, and the best plants we have seen are allowed to grow to the 6'-10' range.

Camellia x vernalis 'Eos Variegated™~ Found as a branch sport on 'Eos', the variegated-leaf form makes an interesting shrub. Consistent pattern to the green and white leaves and large white flowers every Fall. A Green Nurseries introduction.

Camellia hybrid 'Gay Baby'~From New Zealand in 1978 comes a wonderful hybrid (the male parent being 'Tiny Princess'-see below.) Upright, open habit with showy bronze-purple new growth changing to a dark green over summer. Blooms heavily in winter with tiny rich deep orchid pink flowers. Not a C. sasanqua but included here for the similar growth and flower.

Camellia sasanqua 'Green’s Blues’™Growth habit, and bloom time are same as its parent, ‘Shi-shi-gashira’. However, the “buds emerge grape-juice purple, open to a rich purple-blue, and by the second day lose all their red tones, revealing a truly blue camellia.” Bill Finch, Mobile Register. Best color appears in a low Ph soil. 2008 Winner of the International Ralph Peer Award as best new Camellia sasanqua. A Green Nurseries introduction.

Camellia sasanqua 'Mine-No-Yuki' ~Here is why we started hybridizing Camellia sasanquas. 'Mine-No-Yuki' (Snow on The Mountain) is arguably the most beautiful fall blooming shrub. That being said, it is often tortured by gas hedge shears to conform to geometric shapes and confined spaces, often rendering it flowerless. Some catalogs have gone so far as to rename it "White Doves" in an effort to sell it as a "dwarf." Plant 'Mine-No-Yuki' where it can grow into an informal large shrub/small tree and watch it slowly achieve favored status in your garden. If space is at a premium, look instead to October Magic Bride, October Magic Snow, or 'Silver Dollar'.

Camellia sasanqua 'Moonshadow'™ ~ Very vigorous, bushy grower with large double blooms similar to the popular 'Leslie Ann', but with larger flowers. Moonshadow will make a nice specimen or screen. A Green Nurseries introduction.

Camellia sasanqua 'Green 99-006' PP 20,539 October Magic®Bride~ Rich, dark green foliage and pure white double flowers, coupled with a dense semi-dwarf conical habit, make this cultivar unique among white-flowered sasanquas. Too often, larger growing sasanquas are forced into situations where they are pruned into bloomless green globs. October Bride can solve that problem, budding so profusely each summer that the growth that follows is minimal. A Green Nurseries introduction offered through the Southern Living Plant Collection.

Camellia sasanqua 'October Magic® Carpet ppaf ~ Our latest introduction to the Southern Living Plant Collection named for the bushy, spreading habit. When planted in mas, truly forms a carpet of dark green foliage with unique, heavily-frilled, double pinkflowers in Fall. A Green Nurseries introduction offered through the Southern Living Plant Collection.

Camellia sasanqua 'Green 99-012' PP 20,453 October Magic®Dawn~Compact growth to 5'-7' with dark foliage that sets off the very soft peach-pink flowers. Blooms later in the sasanqua season bridging a gap between sasanquas and japonicas. The dense, conical to pyramidal habit lends itself to specimen or hedge use. A Green Nurseries introduction offered through the Southern Living Plant Collection.

Camellia sasanqua 'Green 97-039'PP 20,566 October Magic®Inspiration ~A seedling of the famous C. sasanqua 'Mine-No-Yuki'. The high-centered, peony-form flowers are interspersed with semidouble flowers. They don't all look like the one pictured, but when they do, are often entered in flower shows. A vigorous, upright grower useful as a specimen or hedge. We find the best flowers appear when the plant is provided afternoon shade. A Green Nurseries introduction offered through the Southern Living Plant Collection.

Camellia sasanqua 'Green 99-016' PP 24,887 October Magic® Ivory' ~ Please allow us a digression here...'Mine- No-Yuki is the standard in white Camellia sasanquas but it grows prostrate when young and irregularly as it ages, eventually becoming a magnificent tree. The spreading habit when young, leads to the belief it can be kept low (so much so that the synonym 'White Doves' was bestowed upon it- as if re-naming it would somehow make it perform differently.) October Magic Ivory has a bushy, vigorous, symmetrical, upright habit making it a clear new choice for an upright, white-flowered, Camellia sasanqua. Flowers are similar to 'Mine-No-Yuki' but with more petals giving them a carnation-like appearance. A Green Nurseries introduction offered through the Southern Living Plant Collection.

Camellia sasanqua 'Green 94-035' PP20,465October Magic®Orchid~ Fast becoming a staple for landscape designers, due to the dense, semi-dwarf nature and ability to bloom profusely over a long season each Fall. The buds form so heavily in summer, that little pruning is needed thereafter. Flowers are a high semidouble with varying tones of white and orchid pink.A Green Nurseries introduction offered through the Southern Living Plant Collection..

Camellia sasanqua 'PPAF October Magic®Pink Perplexion~ So named for the difficulty in describing the color. A semi-dwarf plant with spreading to rounded, compact growth to 4'-5'. Blooms heavily at a young age. The soft pink flowers remind one of Camellia japonica 'Pink Perfection'. A Green Nurseries introduction offered through the Southern Living Plant Collection..

Camellia sasanqua 'Green 98-009' PP20,506 October Magic®Rose~ Named for it's distinctive growth habit, resembling a "pillar rose", and for the "florabunda"-like clusters of flowers that appear along the stems. Can be kept to a tight, column with pruning. Flowers are coral-red and begin early in the season continuing for an extended period. A Green Nurseries introduction offered through the Southern Living Plant Collection.

Camellia sasanqua 'Green 02-003' PP 24,538 October Magic®Ruby~Our newest offering through the Southern Living Plant Collection and PDSI. A truly red, peony-form Camellia sasanqua. Has the dense, semi-dwarf nature of 'Shi-Shi-Gashira' but a softer appearance in the landscape. Blooms heavily throughout the Fall.

Camellia sasanqua 'Green 94-010' PP20,454 October Magic®Snow~ A seedling of the wonderful old sasanqua 'Mine-No-Yuki', October Magic Snowhas similar flowers, but there, the comparison ends. Compact, rounded habit to 6' x 6' with red-purple new growth in Spring. Flowers profusely in Fall, the blooms often lightly edged in pink and a pink cast appearing in the center. A Green Nurseries introduction offered through the Southern Living Plant Collection.

Camellia sasanqua 'Purple Haze'™is actually purple! Small rose-form to formal double flowers appear early in the season and ours are still blooming at Thanksgiving. Compact, bushy, upright habit to 4'-5'. As with 'Green's Blues', the best purple color is achieved in an acid soil.A Green Nurseries introduction.

Camellia sasanqua 'Reverend Ida’Best described as identical in all ways to ‘Shi-shi-gashira’ but with much deeper flower color-nearly ruby-red as the evenings cool. We believe this plant to be superior to 'Shi-Shi-Gashira' due to the richness of flower color, but have noted it likes full sun conditions for best blooming habit. A Tom Dodd, Jr. introduction.

Camellia sasanqua (hiemalis)‘Rose Of Autumn’™~ This seedling of ‘Kanjiro’ surpasses its parent in vigor and flower interest. It is the fastest growing “sasanqua” we have ever seen, quickly forming a tall screen planting. The large ruffled flowers are a glowing, almost iridescent rose, deepening in colder weather. Profuse, blooming over a very long season. Has (we begrudgingly admit) become a favorite rootstock for use in grafting due to it's vigorous, disease resistant nature.2012 Winner of the International Ralph Peer Award as best new Camellia sasanqua. A Green Nurseries introduction.

Camellia sasanqua ‘Sarrel'™~ A true groundcover camellia! Growth is much like Gardenia radicans. Our original 22 year-old plant is 4’ tall and 10’ wide. All one has to do is prune any longer shoots back into the interior of the shrub. Flowers are ruffled double pink softly marbled white and bloom very early in the Fall. Prefers light shade. A Green Nurseries introduction.

Camellia sasanqua'Shi-Shi-Gashira' ~ Still the standard by which all semi-dwarf camellias are judged. Tough as Chuck Norris, for a bit heavier soils and full sun, where other camellias cannot venture. The double rose-pink flowers can be seen throughout Fall and well into Winter.

Camellia sasanqua 'Stephanie Golden' ~ Semi-dwarf, bushy, upright grower to 5'-6'. Blooms very heavily over a long season, the flowers fading to a pleasing lavender. One of the best from Tom Dodd, Jr.

Camellia sasanqua 'Green 99-031' PP 24,888 ~Susy Dirr Sasanqua ~ Large, bright pink, double flowers adorn this most vigorous shrub each autumn. Rapid, bushy growth to 8'-12'. Named to honor the indomitable spirit shown by the daughter of Bonnie and Dr. Mike Dirr. A portion of the proceeds benefits victims of cystic fibrosis through the "Sweet Melissa Fund" at the University of North Carolina Memorial Hospital. A Green Nurseries introduction in conjunction with Plants Nouveau.

Camellia fraterna hybrid ‘Tiny Princess’ ~ Graceful, tall and spreading form, eventually reaching 10’ or more. ‘Tiny Princess’ was developed by Kosaku Sawada in 1962 and promptly forgotten in the big and chrome age-except in Australia and New Zealand, where its considered a national garden treasure and parent to some amazing newer hybrids. Small, bell-shaped flowers are soft pink and appear in unbelievable numbers during winter. Quite fragrant, they fall to the ground all “face-up”, a magical sight.

Camellia sasanqua 'Yuletide' ~ Very aptly named, especially now that the Christmas season seems to begin in October matching the bloom season of 'Yuletide'. The show does continue typically into Thanksgiving. Very good "sasanqua" for full sun conditions, but is a shy bloomer in shade. Best performance is in the upper areas of the camellia belt. Bright red single flowers on a compact, upright plant.

Camellia sasanqua 'Yuletide Cheer'™ ~ We continue our quest for true red Camellia sasanquas with this introduction. The flower color is just like Yuletide but the plant is a bit more vigorous.A Green Nurseries introduction.

Camellia sasanqua 'Yuletide Spirit'™~ Seedling of the popular 'Yuletide'.Vigorous grower with a dense, upright and spreading habit. Unusual flower color-hard to describe-perhaps a very deep coral red. Best flowers when afternoon shade is provided. A Green Nurseries introduction.

Camellia hybrid 'Yume' ~ A cross of Camellia sasanqua 'Shi-Shi-Gashira' and Camellia yushienensis. 'Yume' (Dream) inherited very good traits. For garden purposes this is a "sasanqua" with a very compact, rounded habit. The single flowers begin early season as blush tinged soft pink. As the evenings cool the flowers take on a pinwheel effect with petals alternating pink and blush-white. The display continues all through Fall and off and on through Winter, often to early Spring! For some similar plants see our "Dream" series listed above. More coming soon.

Camellia japonica

In addition to many old favorites, we would like to introduce you to some “out of the ordinary” Winter-blooming camellias your customers will love.

For full sized, downloadable images of the plants listed, please see our "PHOTO GALLERY"

Camellia japonica ‘Alba Plena'~ No modern camellia has equaled the popularity, and none is likely to replace this sentimental favorite. One of the earliest camellias to reach America (1792), 'Alba Plena' produces medium sized, perfectly formal double white blooms early in the season.

Camellia japonica ‘Asian Artistry ~ Our 2008 introduction, an homage to the simple splendor of the single camellia, so much admired in it's native home. Flowers are white with large splashes and streaks of pink and red. No two flowers are alike and the reverse of the cupped flowers holds as much interest as the face. Slow (not weak) bushy, upright growth will lend itself for a tighter area in the garden. Early to late season.

Camellia japonica ‘Ave Maria’ ~ California 1995~ Smallformal double to peony-form flowers appear early to mid-season on a rounded shrub with dark green foliage. Compact habit. Similar to Pink Perfection but we have found it to be a better grower in many locations. Early to mid-season.

Camellia japonica ‘Bella Romano'~Italy 1850s~ Introduced over 160 years ago and this antique camellia, is still one of the showiest. Soft pink background is heavily striped carmine and the flowers are very full, ranging from formal double to peony. Very unstable and often branches sport to solid red. We make every effort to keep the strain striped but often must remove the red branches. Rounded form with blooms late in season.

Camellia japonica 'Black Tie'~ Georgia 1975 ~ The charm of this cultivar lies in the dark red rose-like flowers, small and consistant in form. Nice bushy upright form. Mid to late season.

Camellia japonica ‘Blood Of China' ~ Mobile, AL 1938 ~ Large, vivid red flowers with darker veining adorn a rounded grower. Some blooms appear midseason but this puts on a big show very late in winter. The original plant dates to 1905, and was given the name 'Blood Of China' by Robert Rubel in the late 1930s.

Camellia japonica ‘Dahlonega’ ~ Georgia 1986 ~ I love this plant! Very slow, but sturdy, upright, compact growth, lends itself to the smaller garden where many camellias can’t be used. Unique parchment yellow, fully-double flowers resemble old botanical prints. Blooms late season, making it a happy camper in zone 7b. The best “yellow” flowered garden camellia to date.

Camellia japonica ‘Daijokhan’ ~ This is an ancient “Palace Camellia” from the castle Nagoya in Japan. Until recently it was forbidden to remove a cutting from the plant. One of the very best white camellias, many of which have a stodgy growth habit. Daijokhan is upright but less formal in shape. Beautiful, large white magnolia-like flowers are informal double-a sight to behold. Its no wonder the lords of the castle kept it to themselves. Mid to late season.

Camellia japonica hybrid ‘Delores Edwards’ ~ A new classic. The sum of the parts is outstanding. Strong, bushy growth holds great quantities of very large loose peony-like flowers. Blend of pink tones. Some of the flowers can reach 7" in diameter and appear early to late season.

Camellia japonica ‘Dom Pedro V' (Elisabeth) ~Portugal 1872~ Known in the deep south as 'Elisabeth' until recently, by either name, this camellia is one of the best for zone 8-9. Vigorous, rounded habit and late season bloomer. Formal double flowers range from white with a rare pink streak to branches containing solid pink flowers.

Camellia japonica ‘Dr Tinsley' ~Louisiana 1949 ~ Imagine combining the foliage of the camellia with the delicacy of a wild rose. Therein lies the popularity of this classic plant. The pink and white flowers are as cold hardy as the shrub itself. Medium growth rate, rounded form. Blooms mid to late season.

Camellia x vernalis 'Egao Shibori~ (vernalis) A natural hybrid of Camellia japonica and C. sasanqua with the best characteristics of each species. Strong upright grower obtaining a height of 8'-12' with lively yellow-splashed foliage. The large flowers are a blend of pink and white blooming in fall and well into winter.

Camellia japonica ‘Edna Campbell Variegated’ ~Florida 1954~ Slow, compact, but healthy grower. New growth is red. Flowers are semidouble and intensely red marbled to various degrees in white. Of all the red camellias this one really stands out. A bonus in summer is the appearance of many ornamental, glossy burgundy, apple-like fruit . Early to late season.

Camellia japonica 'Elisabeth' (see Dom Pedro V)

Camellia japonica ‘Grace Allbritton'~'Florida 1967~ Much more than a miniature curiosity, Grace Allbritton remains popular today, nearly fifty years after its debut. The small formal double flowers are produced freely, late season, on a vigorous shrub. The petite cut flowers are white with deep pink edges and can vary a bit. Very cold hardy.

Camellia japonica ‘Helen Bower Variegated' ~ Mobile, AL 1959 ~ Originating as a rare graft chimera and achieving wide acclaim, this one is very different. Bushy, wide-spreading habit, the leaves often lightly variegated and always serrated. Flowers are quite large, and can vary from rose-pink to rose-red lightly marbled with white. One of those show flower winners but on a great garden shrub.

Camellia japonica hybrid ‘High Fragrance’ ~ New Zealand 1986 ~How about a camellia that smells like an antique rose? Large, double pink flowers send out a wonderfully strong scent. Very upright, loose grower, can be trained to a small tree over time. Lavender pink flowers are semidouble to peony in mid to late season-the fragrance permeates a garden in Winter.

Camellia japonica 'Imbricata' ~ China to England in 1824 ~ Much confusion surrounds the name of this shrub but the overall greatness as a garden camellia is un-denied. Vigorous, upright, bushy form to 8' x 5' with perfectly formed formal double red flowers late in the season. Cold hardy.

Camellia japonica 'Jessie Burgess Variegated' ~Savannah, GA 1959 ~Graceful grower with layered branches and a semi-weeping effect. Perfect setting for the equally graceful flowers with their long petals. Silvery rose with white accents. Early to midseason.

Camellia japonica 'Junior Miss' ~ Mobile, AL 1971 ~ Without a doubt, one of the greatest garden camellias-yet not widely known. Large, glossy dark green leaves on a vigorous, bushy shrub. Very large semidouble flowers are a blend of pinks. Mildly fragrant. Blooms midseason. We cannot think of a better large-flowered pink camellia for the garden.

Camellia japonica 'Katsuya Nomura' ~ Green Nurseries 2012 ~ A seedling of 'Tama-No-Ura' with a somewhat similar flower and an extra row of petals. This camellia has amazing vigor and can quickly grow into a courtyard or patio tree. Very upright when young and filling in nicely with a informal semi-weeping habit. Flowers early to midseason. Named in honor of the great Japanese baseball pitcher.

Camellia japonica ‘La Peppermint' (most likely 'Mrs. Abby Wilder' 1846)~Among the most popular of all camellias for the dense growth habit and festive flowers. Mid to late season.

Camellia japonica 'Lady Vansittart' ~ Belgium 1887 ~ Most flowers are white striped rose, but with many variations as can be seen in the photo. Tremendous show of flowers in mid-winter. Narrow, upright compact habit with beautiful twisted foliage. Very cold hardy cultivar. 'Edonishiki' is the original Japanese cultivar name.

Camellia japonica 'Lily Woolford'~ Green Nurseries 2012 ~ Named in honor of a great lady and benefactor to the Mobile Botanical Gardens. Softest pink flowers are consistently formal double and bloom on a nice, sturdy shrub.

Camellia japonica 'Margaret Davis Picotee'~ California 1982 ~ Unique flower as pictured. One of those rare show flowers that grows well enough for inclusion in the general landscape. The plant has quite a pedigree as a sport of 'Margaret Davis', itself a sport of 'Aspasia Macarthur', which originated in Australia, in 1848. All care is taken to propagate from branches that exhibit the bloom pictured, however some reversion to pink and red forms is possible.

Camellia japonica 'Mockingbird's Blush'~Green Nurseries 2011~ Large, soft pink flowers vary from rose form to a loose peony type. Bloom season is VERY early, beginning here in late September and continuing to Christmas. The rich dark green leaves and sturdy stems show off the bloom to perfection.

Camellia japonica 'Paulette Goddard Variegated' ~Middleton Gardens, Charleston, SC 1940s~ Just another brilliant red large semidouble camellia until it was discovered to be one of the cold-hardiest of Camellia japonica. The variegated flowers are lightly splashed with white. Slow, sturdy, rounded growth and dependable bloom in zone 6b.

Camellia japonica 'Peter Pan' ~ Norfolk, VA 1947 ~ Hard to describe all that is going on with this flower so let me use the originators (W.J. Robinson and C. J.Hayes) description: "Creamy white at the base, shading though blush pink to cerise pink at edge with definite orchid overtones." Many similar flowers have come along since 1947 but we find none have quite grown to compare to 'Peter Pan'. Compact habit, mid to late season.

Camellia japonica 'Royal Velvet'~The attraction of 'Royal Velvet' is the brilliant, pure red flowers containing barely a trace of either pink or blue. Large Semidouble flowers grab your attention from a distance. Open, spreading habit displays the flowers well. Mid to late season.

Camellia japonica 'Ruth Graham'~ Semmes, AL 1990s ~ Tom Dodd, Jr. was an admirer of softer pastel-colored camellias and this seedling of 'Hagoromo' is one of his best introductions. Seldom seen, due to its slow (not weak) growth, it will reward the patient gardener with exquisite blooms. Upright bushy grower with rich, dark green leaves.

Camellia japonica 'Rutledge Minnix'~ Not overly spectacular, just a very consistent great landscape camellia. Salmon-red flowers on a bushy, upright shrub. The foliage is glossy, dark green and both the shrub and flowers are very cold resistant.

Camellia japonica 'Sadaharu Oh'(Tama 07) ~ Green Nurseries 2012 ~ Another 'Tama-No-Ura' seedling similar in habit to 'Katsuya Nomura' (see above.) This one has a delightful cupped flower with more red in the bloom. Named in honor of the Japanese baseball hero often known as the Babe Ruth of Japan.

Camellia japonica ‘Satsuma Kurenai~Japan~ For what is inarguably one of the greatest red Camellia japonicas, little is known of its origin. Introduced by Nuccio's Nursery in 1996. Brilliant red, rose-form flowers stand out across the garden on an upright, vigorous shrub. Late season.

Camellia japonica ‘Sea Foam' ~ Released with little fanfare in 1962, 'Sea Foam' may well be the very best white camellia for the garden. Perfectly formed flowers open midseason on a very vigorous shrub. Give this one room to grow to 8'-10' or more. For a smaller shrub we would recommend 'Alba Plena' or 'Dahlonega'.

Camellia japonica 'Shirokingyoba-tsubaki' (White Goldfish Camellia) ~Japan 1957~ Often given the name "White Mermaid" as most leaves have a fishtail appearance. More than a curiosity because of the beautiful form of the shrub-upright, graceful and semi-pendulous. Simple white flowers adorn the shrub mid to late season.

Camellia japonica “Siegmund Garden” ~ Doubtless an older cultivar we found in a local garden, no one has been able to identify it. Nevertheless it must be grown. Dense habit and dark green leaves. Formal double flowers are a rich rose-pink with darker veining.

Camellia japonica “Stephens Garden” ~ Discovered in a nearby garden of known and mostly tagged cultivars, this camellia likely has a name but remarkably no one has been able to positively identify it (free camellia or six pack of beer to anyone who can.) Meantime we will grow it under the moniker of the local garden and be content with the fact the outstanding flowers appear early in the season and continue well into the new year. Vigorous rounded shrub.

Camellia japonica ‘Steven Sawada' ~sport of Tricolor Superba 2012~ Tricolor Superba was a great success of a camellia for Kosaku Sawada and it seemed fitting to name the beautiful red sport for his grandson, Steven Sawada. Steven, and his brother George, managed the famed Overlook Nurseries in Mobile.

Camellia japonica ‘Tama No Ura’ ~ Discovered in 1947 by a charcoal burner in a remote area of Japan. He recognized the unique beauty and spared it from the fire. (Forests of camellia are too often denuded for high-quality charcoal.) Loose, spreading habit when young, develops into the most graceful, upright form with pendulous limbs. Flowers unlike any other camellia are small, single, brilliant red, with a wide white margin. Loved by all who see it, even those who pretend to disdain camellias.

Camellia japonica ‘Tammia' ~Slidell, LA 1972 ~ Cold hardy shrub with dense conical habit. The blooms appear late in the season, but open faithfully. Smaller flowers in great profusion. Very much like 'Grace Allbritton' (see above) but DNA testing has proved this a distinct cultivar.

Camellia japonica ‘Tancho' ~ Japan 1912 ~ Higo camellias are still prized in Japan and were treasured by the Samurai. They are characterized by simple flat-faced flowers and a large trumpet of flared stamens. This one is among the easiest to grow and exhibits great vigor. Early to midseason.

Camellia xwilliamsii 'Taylor's Perfection' ~New Zealand 1975 ~ One of the strongest growers in our collection. Flowers are unlike any other camellia, of a water lily form. Blooms are blush pink at the center and bold coral-rose at the edges. It blooms late season, is cold hardy, and is best used as a large specimen shrub.

Camellia japonica ‘Tick Tock' ~Thomasville, GA 1949~ There are many white striped and splashed red camellias but this old one is still among the best. The definitive contrast between the red and white is exceptional. Large peony-form flowers appear mid season on a rounded shrub.

Camellia japonica ‘Tricolor Superba' ~ Old cultivar with everything going for it. Dark green, beautiful foliage on a well-rounded bush. Extremely cold-hardy, yet performs well in mild climates. Covers up with large semidouble flowers of white to blush, heavily striped red. Often entire flowers are red. No more festive a camellia than this. Especially good clone from K Sawada. For the solid red form of this camellia, see 'Steven Sawada'.

Camellia japonica ‘Willard Scott'~ Originated in the celebrated Vi Stone Garden in Baton Rouge, LA, during the 1980s. According to the late Mrs. Stone, who we had the pleasure of visiting years ago, it is named not for the famous meteorologist, but for her gardener- as it was his favorite. Most flowers are formal double as pictured, but others have a peony form. Upright, open growth. Blooms early to late season.

Camellia japonica ‘Zelda Fitzgerald'~ Green Nurseries 2012 ~ Originally this camellia carried the provisional name "Cake Icing" but the flamboyant character of the flower demanded it be named for Alabama's own Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald. Slow, sturdy, upright growth and the flowers are..... well we best let the photo speak for Zelda.